AVERSIONLINE
"8/10 - Wow, was I surprised to receive this gem all of a sudden! I had forgotten this was in the works, and it was certainly worth the wait! Eight tracks of collaborative material from Seattle's Ruhr Hunter and Israel's Chaos as Shelter. All of the tracks are untitled, given only numbers and running times as identification. From the first moments of the opening piece it's obvious that this is an excellent combination of ambient efforts, with the soothing, swirling tones of water over darker, howling themes. It's interesting that based on hearing past efforts from the two contributors, I can probably guess which sounds were created by each unit, which is not often the case with collaborations. I enjoy that elements of each group's specific style are clear, allowing the listener to really experience the two combined as one whole. Lots of thick delays are used throughout, adding immeasurable depth to the recordings. Some tracks are as long as 13+ minutes, but the lengths work: The shorter pieces are often more involved and busy, whereas the epic lengths are calm and repetitious, not at all disruptive. The third track is a bit harsher, with some bells looped and repeated with chaotic layering effects (at less than two minutes this is easily the shortest track herein). Track 6 is a real shocker, more musical than anything else with persistent organ tones and what sounds like stringed instruments and vocals fading into the background? It's very difficult to be sure. The layout is fucking beautiful! All of the artwork is printed in faded bronze colors, with some metallic bronze layers also taking part. The imagery is all abstract and seems a perfect fit for the audio accompaniment. The booklet folds out from the center from a cut up the middle of the back. Each flap has one project's logo lightly displayed in a gloss overlay. A stunning, stunning presentation. Well done! "One" truly balances the ethereal nature of Chaos as Shelter with the dark, disturbing sounds of Ruhr Hunter, most excellently displayed in tracks 1 and 5. Nice work, and a pleasant combination. I'm especially pleased to see Ruhr Hunter back in action after some apparent inactivity. Fans of either project should not be disappointed. Another recommendation for ambient fans. [Notable tracks: I. 11:45, V. 08:51]

WORM GEAR #10
"This is a collaborative release between these two projects that breaks out into 8 movements. The disc begins with a nearly 12 minute swash of distant tribal drums, fading strings and the spilling waters of a secluded spring; carrying genetic theory downstream to create some new creature in a land yet discovered. "Movement II" is a rickety, creaking bit of chiming, vaporous loops and whispered declarations. "Movement IV" grows around a repeating hum that skirts across the stereo field above the shuffling of brittle bones and the deep forest fog that conceals them. "Movement V" seeks a darker place than the previous tracks, developing a brooding framework of deep textural frequencies and a descending strike that shears out from the thickening shadow. Chimes and far away strings drizzle across the soundscape further obscuring the horizon. "Movement VI" creates an interesting contrast as the foundation is a deep purring drone painted with a menacing stroke, but dancing across this is a playful little electro-melody loop and between each luminous note sneers an indecipherable effects soaked voice. It is as if the darkness itself is mocking it's inhabitants. "Movement VII" has an environmental feel to it, the randomness of nature juxtaposed against determined lifecycles. "One" has a pervasive ethereal quality throughout it, open spaces and heavy shadows that stretch across newly conceived lands. Repeating sounds mark your path and root you to the ground as the genesis of something unforeseen finds it's footing in a embryonic world. As with both of these artists individual works, "One" is a record for the attentive listener, only fully appreciated in it's entirety." - Scott

OUTBURN #16
"Chaos As Shelter + Ruhr Hunter = "a dark sonicscape masterpiece". One is the wonderful melding of two of dark sonicscape's finest practitioners, Vadim Gusis of Chaos As Shelter and Chet Scott of Ruhr Hunter. What makes it such a worthy venture is that the music is the perfect fusion of what each band specializes in. Chaos As Shelter have made the outskirts of desolation their domain, one in which mystery and dark secrets travel on wings of sonic design; Ruhr Hunter reside in a more choppy, ritually laced region, denser by nature, fingerprints left on the electronics, edges welcomed. (Meager descriptions aside, each band explores genuinely unique terrain within the realm of aural darkness.) The eight tracks, or "movements" allow each band the space to shine, while further exploring paths that would not have been taken alone. The first movement unfolds as the solemn, ghostly hoot of unearthly birds echoes from on high, joined by more predatory cries, and unknown creatures scuttling about below them, just to the left of a river of precarious origin (the river Styx, perhaps?). Groaning caverns of despondent sound introduce movement four, horns of dread at the edge of agony, after which splintered fingernails nervously scratch, like rats in the walls, treading anxiously through confined spaces. Synths expressing a sadness that burrows into the soul ignite movement six, impregnating with the larvae of despair and birthed as a somber melody of grieving, liquid synths that drip on the petrified keys of the droning organ-stunning! Movement seven is stark desolation of a level rarely attained, the sheer internal devastation dissected by synths that slowly shift (weary exhalations), unleashing strange, disparate sounds like hunched, spasmodic beasts (more undefined life!) that skitter blindly about. Exquisite suffering, another stunning track! The final movement escorts the listener through the wind-battered ruins of a creaking, abandoned church, bells roughly brushed by caustic wind, the tension rising as the track progresses. The mood is aged and cryptic, abruptly overtaken by the acoustic guitar and recorder ministrations of Vera Agnivolok and Shurik Waits, respectively, lending it all an air of ancient, medieval ambience. "One" is an astonishing piece of work, but considering the sonic pedigree, I would have expected nothing less! --JC Smith

MAELSTROM ZINE
The fun thing about going through an artists discography is the possibility that you might come up with a real gem, and sometimes even more than one. The works of Chet W. Scott and his label, Glass Throat Recordings, have proven to be an ambient playground. While his solo works are extremely good, he truly shines when he collaborates with other musicians (check out Your Cell:Yourself and Triage), his unique way of sculpting mother nature into sonic pieces goes beyond enticing and borderlines the genius. If you then take that sonic piece and bring in another musician, say Vadim Gusis of Israeli noise artist Chaos as Shelter, then a totally different element (albeit of the same nature) is introduced and brings the music to a whole different level. Gusis is a man whose work I have not always enjoyed, but always been interested in; his general philosophy and point of views as presented in interviews (including one in Maelstrom) are food for thought. I failed to enjoy his solo works, apart from finding it pleasant background music, but the prospect of his material giving the Scott treatment made it all the more interesting for me. The album has an absolutely great flow and I advise everyone to listen to this from start to finish. It almost feels as if both musicians started off their musical journey beneath sea level, slowly rising up with each song and finally resting their minds and heads someplace high and tranquil. The first track starts off very slowly with underwater sounds and almost wailing sirens in the background, all washed over with a very pleasant and relaxing humming. Slowly the sounds go higher and higher above the waters and turn slightly mechanical on the second track but still with the same relaxing atmosphere, so it is everything but frightening. The entire album flows on and on but I suggest you discover the rest on your own. The instruments used are very organic and natural, showing off both members' abilities to sculpt their sounds into everything they please, making the album very warm and calm in its delivery. It is lush beyond words and makes for such a rich and warm experience that I have to urge everyone that is remotely into organic ambience to go out and find this record. (8.2 out of 10)

MANIFOLD RECORDS
"The two projects at their best, melding together in a genius way. The folk-ambient yiddishness of Isreali project Chaos As Shelter comes through with traditional instruments ghost-like in the background, while Ruhr Hunter succeeds in coating the world with is drift. But pieces vary greatly, with a character in each track that is never repeated. Somehow sad, doomy, slow and nostalgic, "One" manages to be spacy, refined and yet antique...or better yet, antiquated, in its spirit. Bringing to mind ancient things, ancient places, a barge, emtpy, haunted, dragging through space on a tour of equally dead planets, mystery civilisations having left their ruins, their libraries, their statues and monuments. This is the slow and instrumentalised drone of the ghost-planets winds, blowing through abandoned spaces. Not simply an ambient disc, lots of fine musicianship here and there as well..." - Vince